Multiple button machine



'June.14, 1932. N B, HAFL`E|G|| MULTIPLE BUTTON MACHINE Filed April 24, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l mmm June 14, 1932. N, B. HAFLEIGH MULTIPLE BUTTON MACHINE Filed April 24. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 14, 1932. N, B. HAFLEIGH MULTIPLE BUTTON MACHINE Filed April 24. 1929 4v Sheets-Sheet 3 v+l|||||||||||||| lill-II. III' June 14, 1932. N* B HAFLElGH MULTIPLE BUTTON MACHINE Filed April 24, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 v////// |||||||||||||||||w u Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE NORMAN B. HAFLEIGH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, .ASSIGNOR T0 GERALD E. I-IAFLEIGH, OF, BUCHANAN, VIRGINIA MULTIPLE BUTTON IVIACIIINE Application led April 24,

rllhis invention relates to a button-making machine, and is more particularly concerned with a machine designed to form a plurality of buttons simultaneously from a bone slab or other suitable stock.

An object ot the invention is to simultaneously form a plurality of buttons from a piece of stock.

Another object is to devise a machine for simultaneously producing a plurality of louttons from a piece of stock.

Another object is to produce an apparatus for forming buttons, which intermittently 1 rotates a piece of stock Linder mechanism for drilling, and cutting out the buttons.

Another object comprises producing a semi-automatic or automatic machine for making buttons.

Another object is to simultaneously form as many buttons at one time from a piece of stock, as can be produced therefrom.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings in which is exemplified one form of my invention,

.3.; Fig. l is a sectional view along the lines lml ot' Fig. it, parts being omitted for the sake of Clarity;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 3 is a lan view thereof;

3 Fig. 4 is a iront elevation;

Fig. 5 is a detail of the stop for the index table;

Fig. G is a view taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. l;

5;.; Fig. 7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. l;

Fig. 8 is a detail of the spindle retaining and adjusting means of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. l,

m while Fig. l() is a detail of one of the clamping and driving means of Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a plan of the blank after formation of the iirst set of buttons therein; Fig.

r, `l2 is a plan of the blank after forming the .second set of buttons therein; and Fig. 13 i s a `oerspective of a completed button.

The machine comprising my invention is designed as an improvement of that used ,io at the present time. The machine according 1929. Serial No. 357,727.

to the art as practiced now usually comprises a circular index table revolving intermittently on a vertical shaft. On this table are fastenedl adustable clamps composed of yokes and rings, the rings being located directl over holes drilled through the table. Then in front ot the operator, these clamps are held open by means of a cam; while in subsequent positions in the tables rotation, they are held down by means of springs. In this machine there are usually two side columns on which are fastened slides, movable up and down b-y means of cams at each stop of the table. These slides support the torming tools and drills for making the buttons. The columns are held in position by means of top and bottom cross members, these members'also acting as supports for the cam shafts, the driving shaft, the driving gears and the index gear.

Under the top cross member is hung a rocking beam, which compensates-the weight of the two slides, one going up While the other travels down, the tools operating on opposite sides of the button, although in different positions. The operator inserts Linder the clamp before him a slabof material, which is gripped by the clamp, as the table moves to the next location, where it is stopped by means of a pawl locking in a slot cut in the side of u the table. At this point, `a revolving bit is brought up against the under side of the slab, forming the shape of a buttons face. The bit recedes and the table is rotated to its next position, where two or four revolving drills are brought up to the slab, making the holes in the partly iinished button and reaming these holes by means of wings on the drills. The tools for these lirst two operations are supported by the slide on the left hand column and are located on the under side of thetable.

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clear of the slab so that it drops through the hole in the table. These last two operations are done by tools supported by the righthand column and slide and are located above the table. The table again moves to a position in front of the operator, the clamp lifts and the slab is ready for resetting so as to make another button. Then all the buttons which can be possibly made from a slab have been cut out, the perforated slab is discarded. The operation is such that when all the clamps are filled four different buttons are in process at the same time, since the tools move simultaneously, one button being completely formed and drilled at each fifth of a revolution of the index table.

My machine is of the same general construction as the machine described above, in that there are a vertical shaft, side columns, top and bottom :cross members, and index table revolving intermittentlyT and mounted on the vertical shaft, a rocking beam, cam shafts and cams, slides and similar driving equipment. Instead of the left hand slide raising one revolving bit and one set of two or four drills, my invention consists of a slide raising a set of from four to twelve revolving bits set in line, and from four to twelve sets of two or four drills each also set in line. The object is to form the faces on as many buttons as can possibly be made from the slab at the first operation or stop, or else forming the face on half the number of buttons as can possibly be made at the first operation or stop, the remaining alternate half being formed at the second operation or stop.

The form of the machine, as perhaps best illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 4, comprises in the preferred instance, front side columns 1 and 2, and a rear column 3, shown as substantially centrally located, and top and bottom cross members 4 and 5, respectively, the bottom member of which acts as a base for the machine. A substantially vertically arranged shaft 6 is shown as being supported in bearings 7 and 8 in the top and bottom cross mem- -bers i and 5. The upper bearing member 7 is illustrated as having a` tongue 9 formed thereon, which is secured in any suitable manner -to the cross member 1, while the bearing 8 is shown as being integrally formed in the base member 5. It is of course understood that this construction may be varied at will without departing from the scope of the invention. The shaft 6 is driven from any suitable source, and in turn is adapted to drive the mechanism which will be described hereinafter.

The index table previously referred to is broadly indicated at 10, and is shown as secured in any suitable manner to a substantially vertically arranged shaft 11. The table and its accompanying shaftis adapted in any suitable manner for intermittent rotation. In

the present instance, the shaft 11 is shown as terminating adjacent its upper end in a Geneva wheel 12 having the usual radial slots 18 which are actuated by a follower 14 keyed to a gear wheel 15. lVhile the Geneva mechanism is preferred, the intermittent rotating mechanism, as stated before, may be varied at will without departing from the essential features of the invention. A pulley or other suitable driving mechanism 16 is shown as mounted on the drive shaft 6, and by means of belt-ing or the like 17 is adapted to drive a corresponding pulley 18 mounted in any suitable manner on the upper cross member 4. In suitable manner, as by gears 19, the motion imparted by the pulley 16 is transmitted to a. gear 15, also mounted on the upper cross member 1, and to which the follower 1i is secured. The ratio of the gears to each other preferably is such that the angular speedof the index table 10 is maintained at the desired value. Y

The table 10 is preferably provided with a plurality of radially extending slots 20,

.in the present instance ten in number, each slot of which is divided into a desired number of circular openings 21 arranged underneath a clamp member 22, likewise provided with a plurality of circular openings 23. While the openings 21 and 23 have been described as circular, it is of V-course understood that they may be varied at will, in order to produce the particular shape of button desired. `When the table stops before the operator, who sits at the right hand side of the machine as shown in Fig. 3, an automatic means is actuated to lift thev clamping member 22 so that the operator may -slip a bone slab or piece of other suitable stock between the table and the clamp member. When the Geneva mechanism operates to move the table to its first position thereafter the clamping member is permitted to resume its operative position with relation to the table top, firmly clamping the stock thereagainst. rfhese means, in'the present instance, comprise substantially vertically reciprocal rods 24, each of which is held adjacent its upper end in a bearing 25 keyed to the shaft 11, and at its lower end in the table 10, which as previously stated is secured to the shaft 11. Each clamping member 22 engages, and is fixed to its corresponding rod 24 by suitable means such as al lug` 26. The rods are reciprocated in the bearing members above described, andare normally urged downwardly, placing the clamping member in cooperable position with tlie table by suitable means such as a spring 27 coiled thereabout and abutting at one end the underside of the beari ing member 25, and at the other end the top of the lug 26. A sleeve 2S is keyed to a stationary portion of the shaft 11, and has an upstanding-cam portion 29 formed thereon. As the shaft 11, which is preferably made in two,

*in ref.,

sections, rotates about its fixed portion 30, the lower ends of the rods 24 ascend the inclined surface of the cam 29, against the tension of the coiled springs 27, and lift their corresponding clamping members away from the table l0.

As perhaps betterV shown in Fig. l, the clamp members 22 are shown as carried in yoke-shaped members 3l which terminate in rearwardly extending tongues 32 secured to the lugs by suitable means such as setscrews or the like 33. As the table l is rotated in a clockwise direction from its clamping position in Fig. l, the cla-mp member 22 is carried above the first operating position at which time a set of four bits or forming tools, in the instance that nine buttons are to be cut from each piece of stock, are operated to form the under faces of four of the buttons, the remaining live being formed during the subsequent stop. The next position would permit drilling and reaming the button holes f through the underside of four of the buttons,

while a subsequent stop would permit drilling and reaming of the holes of the remaining buttons. The following two steps result in the reaming of the holes of all' the buttons from the top, while during the two subsequentl steps the buttons are formed on their upper surfaces and out out, free from the slab. At the final or tenth step, the buttons and slab are removed from underneath the clamp by suitable means suoli as an ejector. With the exception of the first and tenth steps, a single casting is employed for properly retaining the mechanism for each two adgacent steps. Such a casting for instance, is illustrated at 34, and is secured in any suitable manner by means such as bolts 35 to a member 36, which is in turn slidably and frictionally engaged with flanges 37 formed on the side member 2. The drills of Fig. l are perhaps better illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8.

Suitably secured to the side member 38 and preferably formed integrally therewith, is an upstanding side wall 39, which by means of bolts 40 or similar means is secured at its top and bottom to cross members 4l and 42, the opposite ends of which are closed by another side member 43. Bits 44, having cutting ends, are mounted by means rof their shanks 45 in openings provided in the upper closure member 4l. These shanks have secured thereto in any suitable manner sleeves 47, preferably provided longitudinally along their periphery with gear teeth or the like 46. In the preferred form each shank has a portion 48 adjacent its outer `extremity of reduced section, which is received within a stationary sleeve 49, and is secured thereto in any suitable manner as by means of a set screw 50. The end thrust of the drills on the sleeve members 49 may be taken up by means such as ball-bearings 51. Threaded and headed bolts 52 which ext-end upwardly employed to fit the bolts 52 in their desired position. A belt 55 driven by the pulley 56 drives the pulley 57' which, in turn, rotates the driving spindle 58. A gear 59 keyed thereto meshes on opposite sides with the threaded sleeves 46, insuring simultaneous rotation of the bits. The casting60 on the opposite side of the machine is very similar in nature to that shown at 34, and likewise carries a plurality of bits, similar to those illustrated at 44 in Fig. 7. The drive gear 59 thereof is driven by means of a pulley 6l keyed to the shaft 6, the pulley being driven by a belt 63 from a pulley 64 onrthe drive shaft 6. The two castings 34 and 60 are preferably connected together by means of arms 65 and 66, pivotally secured to opposite ends of a rocking or walking beam 67, which is pivotally connected at 68 to a bracket 69 depending from the cross member 4. As a result of this construction, when one of the castings goes up, the other one comes down, thus properly counterbalancing each other.

The gear train 19 described with reference to Fig. 2 is extended through the gear l5, and idlers 70 and 7l to gears 72 and 73, mounted respectively on shaftsl 74 and 75, which are substantially centrally located within the front side members l and 2. Each of the rotatable shafts 74 and 75 preferably carries a cam member 7 6 cooperable with a cam follower 77 eXtending from a member integral with a pair of adjacent castings. Asthe gears 72 and 73 rotate in their proper relation to the movement of the Geneva wheel, the castings 34 and 92, and 116 and 60 will be raised and lowered, respectively, by means of the inter-action of the cams 76 and the followers 77, to bring the bits into operable relation with the work clamped on the table. The counterbalancing by means of the walking beam 68 removes substantially the greater part of the load from the cams and cam followers, resulting in increased longevity of the latter parts. Springs 117 are retained between brackets 118 attached on the upper side of the upper castings, and to the lower side of the lower castings, respectively, and lugs 119 at the opposite ends of the springs, these latter lugs being secured in any suitable manner to the frame of the machine. `When the action of the cam has been terminated, these springs act to lift their' respective castings away from contact with the table.

In order to insure that the table l0 will stay at rest during the necessary length of time, it is provided along its periphery, in the present instance, with ten equally spaced slots or depressions 78. A bracket 7 9 extending from the side member l has mounted thereon a spring member 8O having a pawl 81 adjacent one end thereof, which pawl is adapted to normally engage in the adjacent recess 78. bracket member 83 is loosely carried on a rod 82 which, in turn, is mounted in a bracket member 84 fixed to and depending from one of the 'lianges of the side member 1. The bracket member 8,3 has a portion 85 extending about the rod 82, and is hollowed at 8G for a considerable portion of its extent to provide for the reception of a coiled spring 87. The portion 85 is clamped to the rod 82 cent one of its ends by suitable means such as a set screw S8. The spring S7 normally urges the head of the rod 82 inwardly through an opening in one face of the side member 1 into abutting relation with the extremity of the spring-arm 80, urging the pawl 81 into the notch 7S,

In order to permit release of the engage ment of the pawl with the notch at the proper moment, the shaft 74 is shown as carrying a cam member 89 on which is a finger or other suitable means 90 adapted Jto-engage a portion 91 of the bracket member which extends substantially at right angles to the portion 85. lVhen the pin 90 is rotated suiliciently to come into contact with the portion 91, it dcpresses the bracket 83 against the action of the sprin0V 87, and releases the spring member 80. 1t is understood that the member S0 is normally urged against the periphery of the table 10 by means of the spring 87.

After the button stock has been formed on its underface, it comes adjacent the casting 92. At this point, the casting 92 is raised by means of the cam 76, lifting the member 36 to which the castings 34 and 92 are secured. Then so positioned, the drills 98, which are illustrated in detail in Figs. 9 and 10, are adapted to drill and roam the button holes. These drills may have their points of reduced section, the shoulders so formed acting as reamers to countersink the button holes. The drills are housed within side members 94 and 95, secured to top and bottom members 96 and 97, respectively.`

Each drill 93 is received in a clamp member such as that illustrated in Fig. 10, and which preferably comprises a threaded clamping member 98 threading on a hollow spindle 99 having a split, threaded portion 100. Adjacent the opposite end of the sleeve is mounted an additional sleeve 101 having a plurality of longitudinally arranged gear teeth 102. The gear teeth of each of the sleeves 101 are in mesh with each other, as illustrated in Fig. 9. Longitudinal adjustment of the sleeves 99 lis permitted by suitable means such as headed bolts 103 and lock nut-s 104. Between the sets of drilling members mounted in the casting 92 is preferably arranged a gear wheel 106, keyed to a shaft 107, to the opposite end of which is .secured a pulley 10S, driven by suitable 65' means such as a'belt- 109 from a pulley 110 1.01, simultaneously rotate to produce the drilling effect. During the next two steps of the table, the slabs are brought underneath the casting 116 in which is carried a drilling meohanismsimilar to that disclosed in Figs.

9 and l0. A gear wheel 111 similar to that illustrated at 106 is mounted on a shaft 112 to the opposite end of which is secured a pulley 113 driven by a belt 114 from a pulley 115 on the drive shaft 6.

It is believed that in View of the above de- .Sc1iption, the operation of the machine will be obvious. .A slab is fixed under the clamp member in the first position o f the machine. During the next step, the undersides of four of the buttons are fgormed.- On the following step, the remaining five are treated in like manner. Following this, four of the buttons are drilled and reamed from the underside to produce button holes, while the subsequent Ystep results in the same treati ment of the remaining tive. During the two steps, the button holes are reamed from the top, while the following two steps, the buttons are formed on their upper sides and are cut free from the slab, dropping through the a holes in the table. The final step is for the ejection of the performed slab.

l'Vith the machine as described, it is pose sible to make in one operation, all the buttons which can be formed from `one slab,

since the mechanisms are working simultaneously on different slabs. The number of buttons made at one time in this manner, varies from' tive to twelve, depending on the length of the slabs used, and the size of the 7 buttons made. When larger buttons are being formed, say for instance of 6/10 of an inch in diameter or larger, the operation of formingy and drilling can be done by four heads instead of eight. The first head will form all the buttons on one side of the slab, the next head or casting will properly drill and rea-ni all the buttons, the following head will ream the holes from the opposite side, while the next or fourth head will form and cutout all the buttons. This will require a five step'instead of a ten step table. Other variations include six, seven, eight and nine step tables.

It is ofcourse, understood that the invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and adaptations, and it is intended that it be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. f

` I claim: i Y

1. In a. button forming machine, an index table thereon, means for clamping a piece of button stock on said table, means for shapin g a plurality of buttons simultaneously on one face Vof the stock, means for simultaneously drilling and reaming button holes through the shaped faces of the buttons, means for completing the drilling and reaming of the button holes through the button, aping a plurality of button faces A i, ite face of the button stock, and means for cutting out the buttons.

2. ln a button forming machine, a substantially horizontally-rotatable index table, means for intermittently rotating said table and for stopping it at a plurality of predetermined points, a ilurality of clamps on said table, each for securing a piece of button stock thereto, a plurality of substantially vertically reciprocal members, one Which contains a plurality of forming tools therein, and the other of which contains ay plurality of drills and reamers arranged underneath the index table in such position that at least one of the clamp members Will lie thereover during any of the stopped positions of the table, and additional substantially vertically reciprocal members angularly displaced around the table from the rst-mentioned members and above the table, the first-mentioned members simultaneously facing and drilling the undersides of a plurality of buttons on each of the pieces of stock, While the last-mentioned members face and drill the upper sides thereof.

3. ln a button forming machine, an index table adapted for intermittent rotation, and haif'ing a number of angularly displaced radially extending slots therein disposed at substantially equal angular distances from each other, substantially diametrically-opposed sets of castings arranged about the periphery of the index table, each one of said castings carrying a plurality of sets of radially aligned forming, drilling or reaming tools, and carrying a single instrumentality for transferring rotary motion to said tools, each set of said castings being reciprocable to place the tools in operable relation with the slots in said table, over which lies the button stock, during the stopped position of the table, in order to simultaneously form a plurality of buttons from each piece of stock.

l. In a button forming machine, an index table, a plurality of clamping means, each for clamping a piece of button stock to the table, means for simultaneously forming one face of a plurality of buttons on one piece of the stock, means for forming one face of the remainder of the buttons Which can be formed from the before-mentioned piece of stock, means for simultaneously drilling and reaming button holes in the face of the firstformed buttons, means for simultaneously drilling and reaming the buttons in the formed face of the remainder of the buttons in the piece of stock, means for simultaneously reaming the opposite faces of the firstformed buttons, means for simultaneously reaming the opposite faces of the remainder of the buttons, means for simultaneously forming the opposite faces of the first-formed buttons, and means for simultaneously forming the opposite faces of the remainder of the buttons from the piece of stock.

5. ln a button forming machine, an index table, a plurality of clamping means, each for clamping a piece of button stock to the table, means for simultaneously forming one face of a plurality of buttons on one piece of the stock, means for forming one face of the remainder ofthe buttons which can be formed from the before-mentioned piece of stock, means foi-simultaneously drilling and reaming buttonv holes in the faces of the firstformed buttons, means for simultaneously drilling and reaming the buttons in the formed face of the remainder of the buttons in the piece of stock, means for simultaneously reaming the opposite faces of the firstformed buttons, means for simultaneously reaming the opposite faces of the remainder of the buttons, means for simultaneously forming the opposite faces of the firstformed buttons, and means for simultaneously forming the opposite faces of the remainder ofthe buttons from the piece of stock, and separate driving means for said table and for each of said means, said driving means all being driven from a common driving shaft.

6. ln a button-forming machine, successive forming and drilling devicesr for forming simultaneously in one face of a piece of button stock a plurality of buttons and drilling the saine simultaneously, cutting means operating upon the opposite face of the stock for cutting the formed buttons from the stock and means for clamping a pieceof button stock and successively delivering it to said forming, drilling and cutting means.

7. ln a button-forming machine, an index table adapted for intermittent rotation and having a circumferentially-extending series of similarly disposed slots therein, a plurality of sets of drilling or reaming tools associated with said table and supported for reciprocation toward and away from the table to place the tools thereof in operative relation to said y slots, means for clamping a piece of button stoel: over the said slots associated With the slots, means for driving simultaneously the forming, drilling or reaming tools of said sets, and means for reciprocating the sets of forming or rea-ming tools.

8. lr a button-forming machine, means for simultaneously shaping a set of spaced buttons on one face of a piece of stock, means for simultaneously shaping a second set of buttons in said face of the stock, the buttons of said second set alternating with the firstnamed set, means for successively drilling and reaming buttonholes through the shaped faces of the buttons of said sets, means for successively shaping the button faces of said sets at the opposite face of the button stock,

means acting simultaneously on the buttons or" each set for successively cutting out the buttons of said sets and means for successive-ly presenting a piece of button stock to each of the aforementioned means.

n 9. In a button forming machine for simultaneously producing a plurality of buttons from a single piece of stock, successive groups of forming and drilling means, each adapted to form simultaneously in a piece of button stoel; a group of buttons and to simultaneously drill said buttons, successive cutting means each adapted to simultaneously out the buttons of a group from the piece of stock, and means for successively presenting a piece of stock to said means.

10. In button-making apparatus, an intermittently vmovable traveling table, clamps each adapted to receive butt-on stock from which a plurality of buttons can be formed moving with the table, reciprocable members each containing a plurality of tools adapted to operate upon individual portions of a but ton, other rcciprocable members each carrying a plurality of tools adapted to sever a completed button from the blank, clamp releasing means and means to operate said table n to successively present a piece of button stock held in a clamp to the action of the tools of said reciprocable members in the order stated and then bring the olamp into engagement with said clamp releasing means.

NORMAN B. HAFLEIGH. 

